In Tollan stood a house of beams. Still
standing are the serpentcolumns. Nacxitl Topiltzin left it when he went away. Now ournobles are bewailed with conch
horns. Now he goes to his destructionyonder in Tlapallan.

Yonder you are passing through Cholollan. The land of
Payauhtecatlhe traverses, and Acallan. Now our nobles are bewailed with conchhorns. Now he goes to his destruction
yonder in Tlapallan.

I come from Nonoalco. I, father Swan, I, Lord Whirler, and Igrieve. Gone is my lord Ihuitimal.
Matlacxochitl has left me inbereavement. That the mountain collapses, I weep. That the sandshave risen, I grieve.
Gone is my lord Ihuitimal. Matlacxochitl hasleft me in bereavement.

Tlapallan is the place where you are awaited,
where you aresummoned: and Cochiztlan, and perhaps Zacanco.

Alas, oh nevermore, oh nevermore. What of your home,
your place ofrain? What of this lordly realm of yours that you abandoned here,this Tollan Nonoalco?

Alas, we
weep, O Lord, O praised one! What of your home, your placeof rain? What of this lordly realm of yours that you abandoned
here,this Tollan Nonoalco?

You were painted in stone and wood before you went away, yonder inTollan where you
came to rule. O Nacxitl Topiltzin, your name willnever be destroyed, because your vassals will be weeping.

Before
you went away you built a turquoise house, a serpent house,yonder in Tollan where you came to rule. O Nacxitl Topiltzin,
yourname will never be destroyed, because your vassals will be weeping.

Cantares Mexicanos: 54D

Descent is imminent! Descent is imminent! And there's a scatteringon the mesquite. Moteuczomatzin descends in
flowers. Nezahuacoyotldescends in blaze! He's in the world. He stirs!

And he's become an Eagle bird, a Jaguar cloud
companion on themesquite—in a carrying cage—this noble, this cloud companion, PrinceNezahuacoyotl!

Your
forebears Acamapichtli and Huitzilihuitl have been rewarded withthe great land, ah! The ancestor land. And Nezahuacoyotl
hasgranted you guardianship over this house of cloud companions, thiscave dweller's house.

They've traveled
here on foot through brambles, through agaves. Andin Barrel Cactus' house of bleeding all my forebears have beenestablished
and given a seat! Quinatzin Tlaltecatzin andTechotlalatl, lord of Seven Caves! They are much desired.

I am Nezahuacoyotl,
and I weep. I weep, and they take pity, thesehearts of mine in the place where all are shorn, my forebears,Quinatzin
Tlaltecatzin and Techotlalatl, lord of Seven Caves. Theyare much desired.

All our miseries have arrived. Thus Acolmiztli's
been seen. Ah,those Colhuacan voyagers, and even Atotoztli, are singing here.Their weeping flowers have sprouted,
burgeoned: they are Coxcotzinand Calcozametl. They found it a hardship, that great land, ah! Thatancestors land. And
they have come to plant their weeping flowershere among the mesquite and the brambles, they, Coxcotzin andCalcozametl.

And
he is dispatched! Let him go forth—or be born! He is mycaptive! Let him go forth!—or be born! He is my captive!

Cantanres Mexicanos: Song 54E

Mexicayotl

At Coatepec, where the turquoise columns stand, there stood a plumehouse.
And how was that city abandoned? The Mexicans, the old ones,coming forth, knew Chapultepec, here! And so you have arrived,
OTolnahuacatl, O Tozcuecuex!

Who, alas, knows how that city was abandoned? The Mexicans, the oldones, coming
forth, knew Chapultepec, here! And so you have arrived,O Tolnahuacatl, O Tozcuecuex!

O ama iye! It isn't true that
Mexicans are singing him. Theirsource is where? The sky, where Life Giver sings! Hui Xahue!Weep "Where will His vassal
be undone?"

The shields were reversed at Little Rocky. And as we stirred, weMexicans, Colhuacan was abandoned.
Weeping, His vassals—all! –nowstand in the water.

O princess! Lords! And as we stirred, we Mexicans,
Colhuacan wasabandoned. Weeping, His vassals—all!—now stand in the water.

I, a Mexican, I, Ocelopan,
say: How fortunate can they be, overthere, these lords Acolnahuacatl and Tezozomoc? Will their songs begood? These
princess of Azcapotzalco!

When I have gone away to the Place Unknown, O you princess that aremine, O dweller at
the Place, O Acacitli, then the war will end whereyou are, then the blaze will stir where we are! For a moment letthem
be on guard at Azcapotzalco!

Cantares Mexicanos: Song 69

How the Mexicans stirred at
Chapultepec! And alas, Huitzilihuitlwent to his death in Colhuacan.

The Mexicans followed a route through water-weed.
That's how theygot there, that's how they got together in Colhuacan.

All the Xaltocamecs give warlike chase.

At
Chapultepec they spirit the Mexicans off to their destruction.And Huitzilihuitl's people lift up cries of weeping.

Oh
it seems that Mexican Chichimecs are off to suffer misery inTizaapan.

Now this is what Achitometl says: he asks
for a sod float—an egret,a coot, and a snake that comes coiled. "Let it proceed! And anunshot deer!" He'll kill
it at home. And so that is how they askedhim for this island realm.

Here in this Tollan Tlapallan he will undo
our comrades, and here ourcomrades shall be destroyed. Here a thrush is shrilling, a snake [ora comrade] is rustling
[or stirring], a fish is soaring here amultitude of flowers blooms. It is uneasy place that you rule, OMoteuczomatzin!

Where
have they gone who came to establish the tuna—alas, the waters,the willows, the tuna, the Jaguar throne—when
Huitzilihuitl wascommanding them? Here our comrades shall be destroyed. Here athrush is shrilling: here a multitude
of flowers blooms. It isuneasy place that you rule, O Moteuczomatzin!

By dint of this sadness
his hearts are going to whirl. O PriestCuauhcoatl! Ah!

Let Life Giver do away with him. And does he still implore
Him? Thevassals would most definitely be destroyed. And then bereavementwould suppurate in Someone's presence here
on earth.

On earth you are rich, O Life Giver. But do it! Abandon theseMexicans! On account of golden banners Tlatelolco's
radiatingdawnlight, ah! O Arbiter!

"Yet, I, the Arbiter, am poor, I grieve." Yes, eventually Life Giverputs
us away, and how does life go on? Would that life were as itis! Do we still implore Him when we have traveled to His home?

For
this, we weep. Alas, Life Giver makes us drunk. DoesAcamapichtli, does Huitzilihuitl, implore Him here on earth?Surrendered,
then, is the Mexican nation, the Tepanec nation.

C

A flower plume, a swan, is pleasuring, is pleasuring flowers.

He
inhales a multitude of flowers, pleasuring: he is pleasuring inflowers.

They are leafy green and of Your flesh
and heart, O chichimec, Owarrior Lord, O Tetitl! These are jades, cacao flowers, popcornflowers, of Your heart. And
let's be pleasured.

As a flower tree, as laughing flowers, You come whirling down fromTamoanchan, the flower seat.
Ah, flowers burgeon. Song-rootflowers. From within these flower plumes You sing, O Arbiter: Youmake the fragrance:
You stand whirled. And let's be pleasured.

There is no second time on earth, you princess, you Chichimecs! Solet's
be pleasured. These flowers are not carried to the Dead Land.We merely borrow them. It is true: we pass away.

Would
that it were not true! Yes, truly we pass away, we leave theseflowers, these songs, this earth. It is true, yes true:
we pass away.

Where we go, where we go to die, do we yet have life? Is there yet aplace of pleasure, yet a pleasure
land, O Life Giver? Deliciousflowers, songs, perhaps, are only here on earth. Let them be ourriches, let them be our
garment. Ah, with these be pleasured!

Be pleasured, Lords, Chichimecs, for we must pass away to Smoker'shome, the
Arbiter, Father Keeper at the Waters. You will have nocity. No one will be left on earth. Delicious flowers, songs: letthem
be our riches, let them be our garment. Ah, with these bepleasured.

D

A shield-roaring blaze-smoke rises
up. Ah, and rising up as belldust it's equated with your flowers. Yaotl. In the distance shrillsa multitude of Eagle,
Jaguars.

He befriends and He shows mercy. In a blaze the dust is stirring:reed flowers turn gold, rain down as
a blade-mist, blossoming.

In Battle Flower Flood Land, at the House of Butterfly Shields,Moteuczumatzin using javelins
recites—he is tossing off—his flood-flower picture-paintings. And in that distant Mexico he is barteringwith
sun chalk.

Your roseate swan's gone scattered away. And so you have departed,Prince Tlacahuepan. It is gone to
shine. You have gone! Theturquoise Noble, Ascending Eagle, comes to shear you.

The seething blaze is stirring down
upon you, roaring. O Totec, youhave been done away with. Now the golden flowers are dispersedbeyond, O Lord, O Tlacahuepan.

I
grieve, my heart is misery. This orphaned one is what I see,drifting as a feather into Spirit Land.

Land of Fire,
Land of Smoke, Land of Spirit-Becoming: now all thebucklers have adorned him there. And ah! This orphaned one is what
Isee, drifting as a feather into Spirit Land.

E

I, the singer, am sad at heart, I grieve: with songs, with
flowers, Iam inflicting wounds on earth." Let them go ahead and say it,unavailing, hating us and wishing we were dead:
"Everyone goes! Offto the Dead Land!

"If you have been weary and disdainful, you will obscure your futurefame,
your glory here on earth." Let them go ahead and say it,hating us and wishing we were dead: "Everyone goes! Off to the
DeadLand!"

Let's keep living here on earth, O Life Giver, O God, and let it bein peace that there is a seeking-out
of Someone when we have traveledto His Home.

Ah, let us die poor. Let it be done, though comrades call us down,though
Eagles and Jaguars, reprimand us.

"You must produce them! You must get God's flowers!" On the fieldof fear and
danger they are scarcely obtained, they are not obtainedat all. Well, let Him go ahead and do it for them! "Let's go aheadand
Trust Him where He rules!" And for this He'll do away with you,this Life Giver!

But grieve, O Executioner, O Water-Palace
Lord. And are you all merecounterparts for gems and jades? Beware of being used. Don't becredulous.

F

Are
you obliging? Is Life Giver in a mournful mood? Yes or no?What does he say? Let our hearts keep sorrowing.

How
many does he "yes" and "no!" O Life Giver, you are intractable.But let our hearts keep sorrowing.

O God, O Life
Giver. I am in sorrow: will it never be? Will I neverhave the pleasure of One's company?

You strew them as beloved
ones, and ah! They come from you, yourriches, O Life Giver! They are the popcorn flowers, the cacaoflowers, that I
crave in sorrowing.

Your distant hearts and words are turquoise gems, broad plumes, Ofather, O Life Giver! You
are merciful, compassionate. Yet brieflyare they near you and in your presence.

Your flowers are greening as jades.
O Life Giver. They flower-sprout, they are blossoming as turquoise swans. But briefly are theynear you and in your
presence.

Alas, I have no pleasure, no happiness on earth.

Is this my lot? Is this my fate? Ah, bereavement
is all I have cometo know in someone's presence here.

Let there be borrowing, O friends. And only here. On earth!

Life
Giver, what will your heart be requiring one of these days? Wemust travel to his home, O friends. Then let us be pleasured!

I strike up a song, I, Macuilxochitl, pleasuring Life Giver. Letthere
be dancing. A song! Let it be carried from where He dwells inthe Place Unknown. It's here! And here are Your flowers.
Let therebe dancing.

And so you pleasure him, O Matlatzinca—him, your flower, yourbutterfly, this whirled
one—in Toluca and in Tlacotepec.

With effort he is presenting plumes and flowers—to Someone! O LifeGiver!

These
Eagle shields he lays in Someone's hands are won in danger onthe blazing field.

Just as our Songs, just as our
flowers, you, you Shaven Head, arepleasuring Life Giver.

With Eagle Flowers lying in your hands, O Axayacatl—flood-and-blazeflowers,
sprouting—our comrades, all of them, are drunk.

With battle flowers blossoming upon us—as all move on to
Ecatepec andto Mexico—our comrades, all of them, are drunk.

Hailed are the Nobles—the Acolhuans, the
Tepanecs!

When Axayacatl had conquered everywhere in Matlatzinco—in Malinalco,in Ocuillan, in Tecualoyan,
and in Xocotitlan—he came away throughXiquipilco, where an Otomi named Tlilatl wounded him in the leg. Butwhen
he got home he said to his women, "Get out the loincloth, thecape, and so forth, and give them to your man!" He summoned
him,saying, "Let the Otomi come forth who wounded me in the leg." TheOtomi is fearful saying, "Perhaps they will kill
me." He hailsAxayacatl with timbers and deerskins. He comes in fear. ButAxayacatl's women just rewarded him.

Cantares Mexicanos: Song 15

How Tezozomoc was anointed Lord

From among the brambles and the mesquites, from
Seven Caves they areall arriving. Ah! They are singing here!

Be borrowed for a moment, O Lords. O Tlacateuctzin, O Huitzilihuitl,O Cihuacoatl,
O Cuauhxilotl, O Totomihua, O Tlalnahuacatl, and evenXiuhtototl, and Ixtlilxochitl. God in time shall be averse and cometo
break apart his realm. For this, Tezozomoc is weeping.

Now again the mesquites, now again the brambles. The Great Land
isrecalled! And this would seem to be the word of God.

Where do the flowers go? Where do they go, they that are
calledEagles and Jaguars? That realm is broken up and scattered in thisGreat Land! This would seem to be the word
of Life Giver.

All Lords throughout Cem-Anahuac were rich, were happy, and LifeGiver's words were strung together
and composed. They did indeedperceive, they knew, God's heart. Those jades and bracelets, thosebeads, knew chalk and
plumes, knew flowers: they knew war.

What are you creating, you lords of Huexotzinco? Look towardAcolhuacan, where skulls are broken! Look there
at Huexotla, atItztapallocan! Those realms now lie in darkness.There a ceiba, a cypress! There! Among the mesquite
and the caves,a fire-hardened one, who knows Life Giver!

"O Tlacateotl, O my dear Chichimec Lord, why does Tezozomoc
rageagainst us, wanting us to die? It seems he wishes combat and wouldspread a war in Acolhuacan!

"Though we
suffer, we give pleasure to Life Giver, O Colhuan, OMexican, O Tlacateotl! It seems he wishes combat and would spread
awar in Acolhuacan!"

All are rich now once again on earth. "Not twice are shields, areflowers, used. Not twice
does one give pleasure to Life Giver."What this the Arbiter Xayacamach is pleasured.

Who does not crave the shield
flowers, the darkness flowers, theblaze flowers, with which to be adorned? "O Nobles Quetzalmamatzinand Huitznahuacatl!"

Among
the shield walls there is life, there is combat! The dove hascome: it calls!

There live the lordly noble Xiuhtzin
and Xayacamach. Oh, you aregiving pleasure to Life Giver.

Let there be dancing! Let there be sacrifice in war.
There ishappiness. Now one desires to be created. O Lord! Ah, whence arethese nobles obtained?

As Plume banners
all go forth. Life Giver is pleasured on the field,the place of shards.

As a bell he rises in our midst, he shrills—he,
Ixtac Coyotl, theHuexotzincan, the Totomihuan.

Restless, you arise in war, O you that here descend on us, youTlaxcalans!

And
the realm of Huexzotzinco is besieged and fired upon.

The Land of Totomihuacan shall be abandoned, shall be destroyed.Then
their hearts will be tranquil. O you Lords of Huexotzinco!

Where mesquites and brambles stand, a cypress has arisen!
O LifeGiver, have mercy! Your shrines is Huexotzinco: and that realm liesonly in the Yonder.

His songs are returning! Life Giver is disgracing Tepeyacac, youLords.

And where are you
to go? Tell yourselves, Tlaxcalans!Tlacomihuatzin has just gone forth to God's blaze.

Like a jewel, like a plume,
have these Chichimecs prepared IxtacCoyotl the Totomihuan.

And Lord Quiauhtzin of Huexotzinco: "The Mexicans rage
against us,the Colhuan rage against us. What route can there be? We're to goaway to the Place Unknown."

You
are sad, O Lords: you are uttering your fathers, Ayocuan and thefire-burnished one who perchance indeed is Tzihuacpopoca.

He
has been in Chalco, in Acolhuacan, in the fields of Totomihuacan.He destroys Cuauhquechollan's mat and throne. And he
is God.

He wreaks havoc here in all the land and realm. All Cem-Anahuac israged against.

What will befall
them? Atl Popoca is the Lord'slave. The earth isrolling over. Lord Cacamatl knows the whereabouts of Mictlan. Whatwill
befall them?

Cantares Mexicanos: Song 51

Yaocuicatl

There is
a singer! Drums have appeared. Songs are spread here inChalco, on the field in Cocotitlan.

At Eagle patio the lords
are dancing. There! O Moteuczomatzin, ONezahualcoyotzin, O Chimalpopocatzin, you are entertained on thefield in Cocotitlan.

They
fall in a raining mist, they sprinkle down, they freshen: theyare flowers of the Only Spirit, Chichimec Lord.

Your
Comrade lords are born and brought to life in distress. Ayocuanand Iztac Coyotl come to pleasure you briefly. Is Ipaltinemi
aboutto frown? Is he provoked?

It's raining jades. They are golden ones, these bursting ones. Itseems that
they are your flowers, O Life Giver. There! They liebefore the Dove!

They are not at peace, these flowers of Yours,
these shield flowers.

Flowers are becoming golden in this place of Lords. These shields,these butterflies, are
scattered. Let them imbibe. They are YourEagle flowers: they are shinning, they are parceled out. Theseshield flowers
of Yours are parceled out! And for this, LordCuateotl is weeping.

A flower flood, a blaze, comes stirring. And
there you are, youLords! Let these Chichimecs borrow the garland Iztac Coyotl! LifeGiver lays his arrows. His Shields,
in your hands. Blaze flowers,war flowers! Who does not want them? Who does not crave them, OLords?

With intent to spread them,
Life Giver proceeds to his city, thisChalco, this Amaquemecan—his home.

"Let no one's heart flow out, O Lords,
O Chichimecs, let no one bebelow or up above," is what God says on earth right here—in this,his home.

B

Life
Giver torments us, O Lords, for there Beyond he warbles. CanRush Capes—can the gorge—be here, be Chalco?

Oh
never will your fame and glory be destroyed, Life Giver!Scattered are the combat flowers—shields and flowers, chalk
andfeathers—where the jungles lie. And where white banners lie theheart flowers are blossoming, even here—in
Chalco!

Bereft and orphaned lies Itztompatepec. Nevermore, no longer shallit be. May your heart take pity and be
appeased, O Moquequeloa, OLife Giver! You torment the Lords, these, your vassals, and they areweeping.

Let
warfare—shields and flowers—frighten us no longer, O Lords!Through these the grandmothers and grandfathers
are painted with lifeand endowed with a name. The realm shall be made to endure. Mayyour heart take pity and appeased,
O Moquequeloa, O Life Giver! Youtorment the Lords, these, your vassals, and they are weeping.

Weep, Create them,
O Lords, O Chalcans, Amaquemes! Even now Hisshields are in our house: the javelins are raining down.

What says
Life Giver? What say the Only Spirit? The city of Chalcolies in ruins. Scattered are your vassals. Let there be an end,
letthere be a termination to Life Giver word! May the Only Spirit havecompassion!

Alas. The dust that is Lords grows golden as the town lies
smoking.And your vassals weep here in Chalco.

Never shall creations of the Only Spirit be destroyed or beforgotten.
He wreaks havoc, He promotes rout, at Itztompatepec.Alas.

Alas. The dust that is Lords grows golden as the town
lies smoking.And your vassals weep here in Chalco.

Among the rushes you sing, O Moteuczomatzin, O Nezahualcoyotzin.Alas!
You destroy the realm: you ruin Chalco here on earth. Alas,may your hearts be grieving!

You make marvels on earth,
and you destroy the realm: you ruinChalco here on earth. Alas, may your hearts be grieving!

C

You make marvels,
you paint the realm, O Moteuczomatzin from theplace of forebears! There! Life Giver loosens his grip. And youare carried
to that Chalcan house of beams. There! Your fame willnever be destroyed. It seems that you have become a precious flower,a
maize flower, falling in a mist, ah! Scattered there!

"I weep, I grieve, recalling Lords. O Necuametl! AndTotomihuatzin!
And Ce Acatzin! Yes, these Lords went away toMictlan, and with these the Chalcan realm is painted—here! Theirfame
will never be destroyed—here!

"Hate me and you are poor, you that send me off to Mictlan." OChichimec Ayocuan,
O Iztac Coyotl, you are acquainted with misery andsuffeing! "May you believe it, O Huexotzinco!"

Come
and see us in this place of arrows. Ah, gone are the peers andscions: they are Eagle owls! Ah! All are shorn, O Lords.
Gone areHuetzin, Cacamatl, and Tzincacahuaca. No longer shall their fate beyours, O Chichimec, Lord Toteotzin!

Chalcans!
Lords! Weep! And you are enriched. O Life Giver. You aremaking marvels on the bosom of the flood, Lord Toteotzin, LordCoatzin!
Life Giver maddens you.

You parcel out jades and bracelets, strew broad plumes. Sobs, tears,fall in a raining mist.
Now all are summoned. O Lord Tozan,Huitzilac's priest!

And now you are believed, O priest, Cuateotl! No matter
that yourheart be destroyed: an Eagle flood shall lie outspread before Hisface. The earth rolls over, the sky shakes.
There! The ChichimecTlacamazatl is forsaken.

Scattered are the Chalcans: scattered the Huexotzincan! O LordQuiauhtzin
Tlailotlaqui! And how do you make your entry? You areusing Lord Toteotzin, the Chalcan, the Amaqueme, as your wall.

What
do You say? He has no arrows, no shields. You are using, youare uttering Miccacalcatl, O Lord Quiauhtzin Tlailotlaqui.
And howdo you make your entry? You are using Lord Toteotzin, the Chalcan,the Amaqueme, as your wall.

Lord Toteotzin
and Lord Coatzin are weeping here. And Temilotzingrieves here. And Totzin has departed. Parceled out is the Chalcan,strewn
where the flood flows, there! Multiple Eagles and Jaguars,multiple Mexicans, Acolhuans, and Tepanecs, do the Chalcans
become.

Cantares Mexicanos: Song 17

Xochicuicatl

Where are you singer? Here, let the flower drums appear. They aretwirling down as plumes.
They are littered as golden flowers.

You'd pleasure Lords, Princes, Eagles, Jaguars.

Ah,he's descended. The
singer's at the drum. He's setting them freeas echo, singing along, spreading flowers. Let's have these flowers!

And
how do I hear his songs? Ah! It's Life Giver who gives him theecho. Bellbirds gives him the echo, singing along, spreadingflowers.
Let's have these flowers!

These jades are falling as a mist of plumes. Ah! They are yoursongs. And this is how
Ayocuan, yes, Cuetzpal, utters them. Itwould seem indeed that this one has acquaintance with Life Giver.

So this
is how that Lord, that vaunted one, comes creating them.Yes, with plume-like bracelet beads he pleasures the Only Spirit.How
else would Life Giver Acquiesces? How else could there beanything good on earth?

"Let me borrow for a moment, for
a while, these jades and bracelets,these princes. I flower-spin these nobles. Here! As songs of mine Iwhirl them,
ah! Besides the drum.

"For a moment I have companions here in Huexotzinco, I, nitla'tohuaniNitecaehuatzin. I am
assembling jades, emeralds, lords. I flower-spin these nobles, ah!"

From heaven, ah, come good flowers, good songs.
They put away ourcares, they put away our pain. Ah, it is the Chichimec lord,Tecayehuatzin! Be pleasured.

A golden bellbird! A beautiful song! You're singing
a beauty. Andyou that are warbling are there, it would seem, on the flower-treebranches, where flowers are swelling.

It
would seem that you're swan for Life Giver, a singer for God, you,the first of these singers to watch for the dawn.

"Though
my heart desires shield flowers, Life Giver's flowers, whatmight happen to this heart of mine? Alas, it is for nothing
that wehave come to be born here on earth.

"I am to pass away like a ruined flower. My fame will be nothing, myrenown
here on earth will be nothing. There may be flowers, theremay be songs, but what might happen to this heart of mine? Alas,
itis for nothing that we have come to be born here on earth.

"Friends, be pleasured! Let us put our arms around
each other'sshoulders here. We are living in a world of flowers here. No onewhen he is gone can enjoy the flowers,
the songs, that lie outspreadin this home of Life Giver.

"Earth is but a moment. It the Place Unknown the same?
Is therehappiness and friendship? Is it not just here on earth thatacquaintances are made?"

I've heard a song.
I hear the fluting of the garland, Lord Ayocuan.

He's answered you. From within the house of flowers Aquiahuatzin hasanswered
you. And commander Ayapancatl.

"The Life Giver, Spirit, where are you! I seek you time and again.For you I grieve,
I, the singer. I give you pleasure.

"Porpcorn flowers, plume-like popcorn flowers are drizzling into thishouse
of green places, this house of paintings. I give you muchpleasure."

It seems that there in Tlaxcala they are singing
as jade songs besidethe drum. And there is a narcotic that's flower-narcotic. And LordXicotencatl, and Tizatlacatzin,
and Camaxochitzin are entertainedwith this music, awaited with these flowers—they that are songs ofthe Only
Spirit.

O Life Giver, it seems your home is everywhere. The Flower Mat ishere! And Lords, whirled as flowers there,
are making prayers to you.

That multitude of flower trees is standing up besides the drum. Asbaby maize ears, yes,
as plumes, they are spun. They are scattered.They are holy flowers.

Bellbird is singing in the plume arbor. He
echoes the lords, hedelights those Eagle Jaguars.

Flowers are sprinkling down. Let there be dancing beside the
drum, Ofriends. Whom do we await? Our hearts are grieving.

(*___)

I grieve, I, Cuauhtencoztli. Our flower
drums stand wrapped insadness. Is it true? Let it not be so. Our songs are good no more."

But let them arise! Let
them appear! We live beyond, exist beyond.You are poor, my friend. Let me take you away. Arise beyond!

"I'm singing,
alas." O friends, whatever you utter sings here!

From where the Flower Court lies comes one of the nobles. Ah, it isCoyolchiuhqui.
He comes singing through tears from the house ofgreen places. Unhappy are the flowers, unhappy the songs.Everything
created here is misery.

"The pain is hard. We move along in anguish. Motenehuatzin am I,and in grieving songs I
plume-spin lords, nobles, rulers, andTelpoloatl, Lord Tepoloatl. We're all alive in this house of greenplaces. Unhappy
the flowers, unhappy the songs. Everything createdhere is misery."

I've heard a song. I see him in Green Places,
walking in Dawn'sHouse along the flower shore, calling to turquoise swans and green-corn birds. It's the roseate swan
Lord Monencauhtzin.

O friends, who are they that dwell within God's house of green-swancacao flowers? Keep on tilling
this plume garden. Let me, let mesee them laughing like jade flutes, conversing like flower logdrums. And might these
lords and nobles strike and resonate theturquoise-brilliant drums within this house of flowers?

Hear it! He is
shrilling, warbling on the branches of the flowertree. He is shaking! It is the golden flower-bell, the rattlehummingbird,
the swan, Lord Monencauhtzin. Like a gorgeous troupialfan he spreads his wings and soars beside the flower drum.

They've
reached the top. Flowers have reached the top. The flowersare blooming in the presence of Life Giver. And He's given you
theecho. Oh, heart!

Listen!
God the father is descending. Jaguar Eagle drums are ringingin his home. Gong music is ringing.

It would seem to
be so. Ah, these flowers are plumes—yes, a trailingcape of plumes. It's in a house of pictures that the realm is
heldin safety, that the Only Spirit is held in veneration.

Your city is the Jade Land is ascending on an arrow
fire of flowers.My city of the golden pictures is your home, O Only Spirit.

Friends, hear the words of a dream:
the golden milk corn sustains usin summer, the roseate-swan green corn gives us life, and it bejewelsus to know that
friend's hearts have been converted to the faith.

Cantares Mexicanos: Song 45

Your hearts are shaken down as paintings, O Moteuczomatzin. "I comebringing forth,
come shaking down, these laughing ones. The quetzal-butterfly flowers come winging like plumes: I cause them to dance,making
skillful music with a jade-water conch horn, blowing [orsmelting] jade flutes as though gold.

"These flowers, these hearts of mine are stirring
as parrots. Theseflowers, these log drums of mine are stirring as parrots. Asflowers, as pictures, as parrots I spread
out His words."

Be joyful. Be pleasured. These are not forever here: we must go toHis home, my brave, my lord,
O Moteuczomatzin. On earth they areloaned: the delicious flowers are loaned.

In blaze land, fragrantly, you come
filled with sunray and asflowers, O God. Ah, He that shines among the Jaguar blades, He, theEagle, screams. Ah, He
is in His place.

"I soar along, winging in God's presence. And the roseate swans, thetroupials, the plume-like
captive butterflies, are shaken down asnoble lords in the presence of all. By means of a flower-water conchhorn my
songs are marching forth.

"I arrive, come from where the green Great Water lies. Mostdefinitely does it stir, seethes:
it roars. I fly, a quetzal. Ibecome a turquoise swan and go to be amid the flood in Huexotzinco."

Amid flower water,
where water of gold and water of jades arepouring, sings the Plume Duck: plume and tail are whirling.

I, the singer,
stand aloft. Where the troupial shines, where therushes are, I am unfurling these songs, I who provide Him withflowers.

I regard my songs as turquoise beads, as plume jades. Let these goodflowers lie in my hand, these songs,
they make my heart drunk. Myhearts, my creations, are everywhere.

I regard these good songs of mine, these good
flowers, as plumesjades, O brothers, O Lords. Be pleasured. No one is to live onearth.

I that am to go away
am not to carry off these good songs, these, mygood flowers, O brothers, O Lords.

I weep. I have shaken down the
flowers.

Will you go with me to the Place Unknown? Ah, I am not to carry offthese flowers, singer that I am. Be
pleasured. You are hearing mysongs.

Ah, singer I am, I weep that the songs are not taken to His home, thegood
flowers not carried down to Mictlan, there, ah there, beyond,alas, the whirled ones, ah.

These are your raiment
and your wealth, O Lords. Oh not to His homeare they taken, these songs. Not to Mictlan are the good flowerscarried
down, there, ah there, beyond, alas, the whirled ones, ah.

Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of the Aztecs (Song 72)

Yaocuicatl

I strike up a song, singing the songs of God Life Giver.

And
from the Place of Song Marvels, God Necoc comes. Lords! Letthese sacred blooms be borrowed.

This multitude stands
leafing out as Eagles. They are the trogon-sprouting drums—of yours, O Life Giver—with which our Nobles give
youpleasure. So it would seem in this patio of flower song!

White feather flowers blossom where Ixtlilcuechahuac
as a plume, arattle bird, is shrilling, singing. A golden oriole, it isTlacahuepan, soars along. Ah, so it would seem
in this patio offlower song!

Life Giver, you are reciting, your songs in color—as trogons,troupials,
roseate swans. And you are taking these comrades of yoursto be your plumes, these Eagles, these Jaguars. Yes, you arespurring
them on.

Who will be orphaned? Who will go where there is nobility and fame?You comrades! These Eagles, these Jaguars!
Yes, you spur them on.

What's to befall me? Let me die! Let me be a quetzal. Let me goand fly, alas, in heaven.
And for this I weep.

Brief is your presence, Life Giver. But yes, it is true: you paintus: there Beyond you show
us mercy—near you and in your presence.

Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of the Aztecs (Song 73)

Yaoxochicuicatl

We are assembling troupials, quetzals, ah! They are Lords. And
Igive them flower poyomatli, give this multitude of flowers jewels.And we, in comradeship, become acquainted beside
the drum.

We have only borrowed our flower drums, only borrowed our flowerrattles, these, our songs—our flowers!
They are briefly pleasured.

And we? We won't
be pleasuring Life Giver forever. Let's pleasureourselves with Your flowers, and with these songs! We merely borrowthese
flowers of His, merely borrow these yellow flowers.

They are war flowers, spinning in the field, whirling in the dust.Lords
make these blaze-flowers flow, desiring them, seeking them.But is there pleasure? There is only death.

They crave
and seek these warm delicious ones. But is therepleasure? There is only death.

How Life Giver scatters these flowers
of his! How he puts them intothis house—these sacred ones that are whirling, greening, blossoming!

Now they
are scattering, they are drifting down as a rain of knives,a rain of javelins! It is true: fire tassel's are drifting
now! Noone dares go near them.

Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of the Aztecs (Song 76)

War Song, A Song of Motecuzomatzin

Motecuzomatzin, you creature of heaven, you
sing in Mexico, inTenochtitlan.

Here where Eagle multitudes were ruined, your bracelet house standsshining—there
in the home of God our father.

There and in that place they come alive, ah! The noblesIxtlilcuechahuac and Matlaccuiatzin.

And
in that place these nobles again renown and honor: bells arescattered, dust and lords grow golden.

Onward, friends!
We'll dare to go where fame, where glory's, gotten,where nobility is gotten, where flower death is won.

Your name
and honor live, O Lords. Lord Tlacahuepan!Ixtlilcuechahuac! You have gone and won war death.

Sky dawn is rising
up. The multitude, the birds, are shrilling.Precious swans are being created. Turquoise troupials are beingcreated.

Lucky
you, arrayed in chalk and plumes. O flower-drunkMotecuzomatzin! Precious swans are being created. Turquoisetroupials
are being created.

Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of the Aztecs (Song 77)

Yaocuicacuextacayotl (This one's a Huaxtex War Song)

Where bells are shrilling
and the dust of lords in blaze arises, awar-flower Huaxtec is carried down. It is Tlacahuepan.

House of multicolored
spines is where he dwells, drinking flowerwine. It is Tlacahuepan.

Hear them! They come battle-chanting to this
warrior town. We aredrunk! We are Huaxtecas, hey! And with these shields Our Lord ispleasured. Our pine flowers come
whirling in a blaze. We areHuaxtecas, hey! And they come jingle-shouting. With these shieldsOur Lord—It's God!—is
pleasured, ah!

B

Plume-water torso-painted Nezahuapilli, my great one, my Lord!Yonder all the Huaxtecs are
drunk with this shield-flower wine:there is dancing on the breast of the flood.

You blow your conch for Jaguar
reeds. You stand up Eagle-Blaring onyour round-stone, O noble Lord, departing Drum! And yonder all theHuaxtecs are
drunk with shield-flower wine: there is dancing on thebreast of the flood.

A woman am I, and I have come to be
drunk, saying: "Can there belife hereafter?"

Dance, Stalwart! A woman am I, and I have some to be dunk,saying,
"Can there be life two times?"

C

Matlaccuiatzin has tippled on plume water, on flower water, and it ismaking
him drunk in the field.

Matlaccuiatzin has gone to the Place Unknown adorned with these plume-water flowers, these
blaze flowers.

These adornments are my headband: I am Flower Lord, a woman! And weare in company with a dancing
rush hunter. Let all our flower ghostsbe gorgeously drunk. We have all gotten drunk together, my nephews!Ah!

We
have arrived, and we are dunk! I am Flower Lord, a woman! And weare in company with dancing rush hunters. Our flower ghosts
aregorgeously drunk. We have all gotten drunk together, my nephews, ah!

Seething on the plume flood, they make
us drunk, us Mexicans, andhey! "Just weeping, I recall Chichimecs. Alas.

"Nezahuapilli am I, and I weep. From where
he dwells, beyond, heblossoms forth, this flower of war. Just weeping, I recall him, andalas!"

As a waterfowl
plume you have soared away, O flower, O great one, OTlacahuepan. He is followed his Father to the Place Unknown.

It
is in the Water that he sings and warbles, and his fellow swans—these noble lords, these Huaxtecs, hey!—are
chanting and tippling onplume-water flower wine.

A bell has blossomed! Down below, poor Screecher trembles. Ah,
itis Ixtlilcuechahuac! And this is how he wins his fame: he snatcheswithered plumes. It's as though oh! It's as though
Huaxtecs weremade drunk.

At water's Navel, blazing waves have seethed upon them. This is howLord (Pilliya)
Ixtlil-Otoncochotzin *(Warrior-Parrot) wins his fame:he snatches withered plumes. It's as though oh! Huaxtecs were madedrunk.

D

The
city lies painted in jades. And at the Hummingbird Mountain youare stringing plume jades into a necklace. ***

Your
fame will never perish, Axayacatl! And all the roseate swans,the troupials, are spreading their wings in Flower Tlapallan.
Theyare the Lords. They are my nephews.

Life Giver, let your
flowers not be gathered! Dust and lords aresmoking on the field. You have given necklaces to Totoquihuaztli andAcolhuacan's
Nezahualpilli. You have adorned them in shieldflowers. Lord Ahuitzotl is singing arrows, singing shields.

I grieve,
I weep. What good is this? The shield flowers are carriedaway, they are sent aloft. Ah, where can I find what my heartdesires?

Incomparable
was death! Incomparable flower death! Life Giver hasblessed it. Ah, where can I find what my heart desires?

I seek
the good songs whence they come—and I am poor. Let me notsing.

Where am I to find your flowers, Life Giver?
Alas, I am poor. Letme not sing.

Cantares Mexicanos: Songs of The Aztecs 83

Chichimecayotl

Turquoise gems as flowers, on this Eagle mat of flowers. It is mylord
(Nopiltzin), the Chichimec: it is Moteuczomatzin, whirlingSacred (-Teoxinmac) songs. Are they still in the Dead Land?
Yes, inprecious snares they are weeping at the Sacred Shore.

Before your eyes he is sprouting jades, he is leafing
out as plumes,he is blossoming as golden flowers: he is my noble, my Chichimec, heis Moteuczomatzin. Are they still
in the Dead Land? Yes, inprecious snares they are weeping at the Sacred Shore.

"Ah! It's just for this that I have been born, that I have beenbrought to life—I,
the Chichimec Moteuczomatzin. These spines ofmine, these quills, these plumes I scatter, these, my whitebracelets,
must be drilled."

Can there be something good? Alas, we have no payment to go withit. Yet these flowers are desired:
they are craved. There shall beflower death! There shall be pleasure death! O Tlacahuepan! OIxtlilcuechahuac!

And
where do you go? And where do you go? To plume land! Tobattle! (Yaonahuac) To spirit land! (Teopa) It's where our mother,Itzpapalotl,
pains with life. It's on the field of war.

Where dust is rising, in the blazing flood, the Divine lordCamaxtli's
hearts have grown disconsolate. O Matlaccuiatzin! OMacuilmalinaltzin! It's as though these combat flowers weretransported
in your arms. Yes, they have been transported.

Where must we go? To where there is death. And so I weep, saying,hearts,
be cheered! No one can live here on earth.

Though Lords, they have all come to die, they have all been putaway.
Say, hearts! Be cheered! No one can live here on earth.

B

Roseate swans, corn-silk flowers, are whirling in
this house offlowers. Popcorn flowers are parceled out: they are scattering,they're drizzling down in this garland
of flowers.

Rest, great
lord, O voyager, O Moteuczomatzin. And let's have maizeflowers there among the cacao trees. Precious troupials, swans,
areflying, pleasing, Moteuczomatzin! See this long temple! See wherethese drapes are hanging!

Dead Land denizens
posses these troupial flowers. But the warriorsings. It's he who weeps for you, O Chichimec.

***

My mesquite
flowers, my spin flowers, are blossoming.

C

I sing, and they are passing away. That warrior, King Vulture (Cozca-Cuauhtli),
won't be seen again, nor his warlike songs be heard, forwe alone create them.

But Lord Axayacatl's feather plumes
are never ending: he passed awaysupplied with jade reeds, and now his bracelet roots stand swaying.That warrior, King
Vulture, won't be seen again, now will his warlikesongs be heard, for we alone create them.

It's in music, only
music, that I do my grieving. Isn't that the wayI sing my songs? Don't let your hearts be wounded! I am a warrior,really!

"Is
he taking a stand? Well, he is lifting good songs. Well, he isgetting flowers. He has his rattle." Be pleasured! I am
a warrior,really!

I flower-grieve. But ah, my songs are nothing, I scatter squirrels.My friends are lucky,
though. Their hearts make red-stone paintings,so I'm told.

I crave the songs that these spear-land men have offered.
Theirhearts make red-stone painting, so I am told.

They are scattered as flowers, beautified as flowers in WhiteWarrior's
(Iztac Otomitl) troupial war hut.

O Mexicans, you glorify these ochre and crimson ear-jewels of yours.In this troupial
war hut!

These
blazing flower words of Yours are but a moment and a day, OEagle-Going Down! (Ticuauhtemoctzin), These golden flower shoots
ofYours are radiating dawn-light. These, Your cotton flowers, plume-whirl! And You have rejoiced at Hummingbird Mountain.(Huitziltepetl)
! Be strong! Hail! (Ximochicahuacan netleyan)

How favored you are! This city of ours follows onward, transportedto
You! Do you still have a craving? Well then, a few of Yourpayments are riding along, yes these, Your golden skin-robes!
These,Your cotton flowers, plume-whirl! And You have rejoiced atHummingbird Mountain. ! Be strong! Hail! (Ximochicahuacan
netleyan)

B

See them! Who are these that dance with their shields? We have cutoff our hair, O Tehuetzquiti,
O Tecoatzin! What else would you do?Onward! Let there be dancing! Sing, brothers!

Everybody on the road! Be strong!
O Coaihuitl, O Itzpontonqui, whatelse would you do? Onward! (Tlenozo) Let there be dancing! Sing,brothers!

Hear my songs! Oh, I sing them in earnest, I utter them, ah! And wewould arrive. From the four directions
they move toward Tlatelolco!Let it not be done in vain, Tlaxcalans! Aya! Sing, brothers!

Alone I saw Lord Anahuacatl
there and marveled at him. Finally withshields and swords they come to chase him, they the Tlaxcalans, aya!And they
the Castillians. Off he goes, into the water, leaving thembehind. And off we go—to arrive! Let it not be done in
vain.Tlaxcalans! Sing, brothers!

C

Dance, Lord Oquiztzin, and you sing! Beat the golden drum thatsprouted
turquoise fire-tassels! Lords and rulers went away and lefthim. And he himself has gone away. Then pleasure these, thismultitude,
our comrades! Tlaxcalans, hey! Huetzontzincans, hey!

Yes, even so he's appeared here in Mexico! Cuitlachihuitl! And
thetlatoani, Lord Huanitl (Huanyltecutli)! Let him go and seed the soilat Ball-Play Mons! O Sower-of-Men, it would
seem that these multiplenobles, our comrades, have all been painted in shields! Tlaxcalans,hey! Huexotzincans, hey!

Motelchiuh
is the one who thrusts his shields, and it's a time oflords! Yes even so he sallies forth, having appeared. And whenthey
have captured the [tyrants'] (Ocaxique) guns, then Rabbitsays, "let there be dancing!" Tlaxcalans, hey! Huexotzincans,
hey!

This Eagle bulwark, this Jaguar bulwark, is the one who does thewrecking—it's a time of lords! Yes even
so he sallies forth, havingappeared. And when they have captured the [tyrants'] (Ocaxique)guns, then Rabbit says,
"let there be dancing!" Tlaxcalans, hey!Huexotzincans, hey!

Meanwhile
the troop chief (Tlacacochcalcatl) Coyohuehuetzin throws upbarricades. Acolhuans are coming down the Tepeyacac causeway!Tenochcans
are surrounded, Tlatelolcans are surrounded.

He who might serve as payment for Tenochtitlan, he who is destroyed,is
one of the children of the Jade Captain (Chalchiucapitan): it'sGuzman, here in Mexico! Tenochcans are surrounded, Tlatelolcans
aresurrounded.

It thunders and thunders from out of a turquoise harquebus, and thevapor rolls. They have even
seized Cuauhtemoctzin. All the MexicanLords go off through the water. Tenochcans are surrounded,Tlaltelolcans are
surrounded.

E

My dear Tlaxcalan nephews, now remember how we did it in Coyonacazco:the women of Mexico
(Mexica ye Cihua), all of them, muddied theirfaces, and all the masters made their choices.

With this he passed
away contented in his heart, and he is Notable(Cximachoctzin), and he is Glad-for-His-Shield (Chimalpaquinnitzin).Ah!
This is how we did it in Coyonacazco: the women of Mexico, allof them, muddied their faces, and all the masters made their
choices.

Yes, all the tom turkeys were corralled at Acachinanco, and the babeCastaneda Xicotencatl drives them
along. Let it be so! Hail! Letit be so! And hail! (Ye Ma yhui netleya ye ma Yhui netle)